How manganese fumes and workplace noise can lead to hearing loss
Hearing Loss by the Synergistic Effect of Chronic Inhalation of Exposure of Manganese Fumes with Occupational Noise Exposure
This project looks at whether breathing manganese fumes makes hearing damage from loud workplace noise worse for people who work in welding, mining, smelting, or ceramics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195509 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you work around welding, mining, smelting, or ceramic production, researchers plan to find out whether inhaling manganese fumes harms the inner ear and makes noise-related hearing loss worse. They will use lab models and tissue data to study manganese accumulation in the cochlea and related brain regions while measuring specific manganese forms in blood as possible exposure markers. The team will combine these biological studies with clinical evidence to understand how dose, duration, and chemical form influence ear damage. The goal is to identify markers and mechanisms that could guide better monitoring and protection for exposed workers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who work with manganese fumes or are routinely exposed to high workplace noise, such as welders, miners, smelters, and ceramic industry workers.
Not a fit: People without occupational manganese or loud-noise exposure, children, or those with genetic or non-occupational causes of hearing loss are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify blood markers of manganese exposure and lead to better screening and prevention of hearing loss in exposed workers.
How similar studies have performed: Clinical reports and lab studies have linked manganese exposure to hearing problems and cochlear accumulation, but the combined effect with noise exposure and the use of specific blood-based manganese markers remain unproven.
Where this research is happening
Amherst, United States
- State University of New York at Buffalo — Amherst, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krishnan Muthaiah, Vijaya Prakash — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Krishnan Muthaiah, Vijaya Prakash
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.